Cutting-edge research at the Hannover Messe

At the Hannover Messe from April 20 to 24, 2026, the University of Stuttgart will showcase projects with significant potential for industrial application. Researchers will present a biorobotic assistance system and an interactive demonstrator of an offshore power-to-X platform. The startup Collectu is showcasing its AI-based data analysis solutions for businesses, while the student small satellite group KSat is presenting its current space projects. As the leading international trade fair for industrial transformation, the Hannover Messe provides an important platform for collaboration, technology transfer, and recruiting young talent. The University of Stuttgart will be showcasing its exhibits at the Baden-Württemberg International joint stand in hall 14, stand J40.

“As part of a robust research and innovation ecosystem, the University of Stuttgart works alongside its industrial partners to drive solutions for current and future challenges. Whether it’s knowledge and technology transfer or entrepreneurial spirit, at the Hannover Messe we’ll be presenting the outstanding results of our interdisciplinary research to industry and the general public,” says Prof. Peter Middendorf, Rector at the University of Stuttgart.

A biorobotic arm that suppresses tremors: The Center for Bionic Intelligence Tübingen Stuttgart (BITS) is introducing an assistive system for Parkinson’s patients designed to suppress tremors. Scientists from the Institute for Modeling and Simulation of Biomechanical Systems (IMSB) at the University of Stuttgart and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS) explain how the arm simulates and compensates for tremors and why this function resembles that of noise-canceling headphones. 

As part of the flagship project H2Mare, the Institute for Industrial Automation and Software Engineering (IAS) is showcasing an interactive demonstrator of an offshore power-to-X platform. Visitors experience the entire process chain, from electrolysis and direct air capture for CO₂ production to methanation to produce synthetic methane.  The exhibit demonstrates how modularly configurable process chains enable future climate-neutral fuels and open up new avenues for scalable offshore production.

The Stuttgart-based startup Collectu, a spin-off from the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW), will be introducing the Collectu Asset Tower. The demonstrator illustrates how companies can use an open, decentralized platform to create end-to-end data pipelines efficiently and without any programming knowledge: It collects, combines, and analyzes data from various controllers, sensors, and IT systems in real time.

The student small satellite group KSat e.V. conducts space projects from initial concept to completed mission, integrating theoretical knowledge from their studies with interdisciplinary hands-on experience. The students will present the SOURCE CubeSat and its successor, the SOURCE-2 CubeSat, as well as the FINIX and FARGO ferrofluid projects. The satellites, which were developed in collaboration with the Institute of Space Systems (IRS), are used for scientific research, including meteorite tracking and monitoring the space environment in low Earth orbit. The ferrofluid projects are investigating how magnetic fluids could be used to replace mechanical components that are prone to wear.

For the first time, the Stuttgart High-Performance Computing Center (HLRS) is also exhibiting at the Hannover Messe, alongside the EXCELLERAT P2 and HammerHAI projects, also at the Baden-Württemberg International joint booth.

The University of Stuttgart's TRACES Transfer Center, which supports start-up projects by university members along with knowledge and technology transfer, and members of the Office of the Rectorate, will also be present in Hanover to strengthen existing collaborations with business, society, and politics, while forging new partnerships.